WHO IS JESUS?

We have come to that glorious day in Church calendar, and the greatest day of the year for so many people. Millions of people across the world in all nations, in all cultures and race will celebrate on that day. Churches will have larger congregations of people who will never on any other occasion cross a Church doorstep. The majority of people will not have a clue of what they are celebrating, thinking it was just time for celebrating holiday time.

I have chosen to speak this Christmas time on the subject of-- who is Jesus? I pray that all of any age, who do not know the answer, will come to know and will follow Jesus, by letting Him into your life. Jesus is more than a picture on a Church glass window.

Christmas time is a time for celebration, and the reason for doing so, will be to celebrate the birth of the One who became the greatest and unique man who ever lived, and the humblest one. Emperors and rulers have come rule, but have all been forgotten. But Jesus Christ is still the most renowned name. Books, movies. plays, have been written about Him.  He is more important, popular,  more spoken about than when He was on earth.    Musical presentations have been composed, Jesus Christ Superstar; Jesus Christ are you the One they say you are?

This should cause us to enjoy the time and pleasure of engaging in things we would not be normally doing, but this is subject to giving primary attention to the real meaning of the birth of Jesus Christ.

There will however, be so many young people who will not know who Jesus was. The parents may not know either, and those that do, will have no inclination to tell them. Whereas, the schools used to have a period or assembly, in which the Christian faith was taught; now education seems dominated by compulsory teaching on sexuality at all ages from five upwards. All other religious bodies  teach their faith, we need Christians to be committed and faithful as others are.

Only Christianity has a leader who died on a Cross, and a living God who raised Him from the dead.

Turning to the gospel of Matthew in Chapter 16, Jesus is asking His Apostles, who do people say I am? They told Him, some people say you are John the Baptist, others Here then is Jesus, the most famous and greatest man in all history, who is as well- known and spoken about now, as He was 2025 years ago. Time is based on His birth, as the years are marked as A D. (anno Domino) the system spread throughout Europe and the Christian world during the centuries that followed. AD stands for Anno Domini, Latin for “in the year of the Lord”, while BC stands for “before Christ”.

The Bible is all about Christ, from the prophecies and preparation in the Old Testament, to the birth, ministry, crucifixion on the Cross, death and resurrection, and ascension, and notice that He will return to judge the world, in The New Testament. He was as Peter stated the Son of God and the Messiah.

Messiah (from Hebrew Mashiach, meaning "anointed one") refers to a prophesied savior or liberator in Judaism and Christianity, a figure sent by God to redeem humanity, though interpretations differ: Jews await a future king bringing peace, while Christians believe Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Christ (Greek for Messiah), who brought a new covenant for all people through his sacrifice and resurrection. 

He was born in the most humblest way in Bethlehem, to a young girl who lived in a small Jewish village. (When God wants His work to be done He often chose a person of low stature so that it will be done well.) God was His Father by means of the Holy Spirit, and his earthly Father was Mary’s husband Joseph, who was born in the line of David, Israel’s great King, as was foretold by Old Testament prophets. (Some Jews wrongly, called Jesus as son of David).

Jesus according to Jewish culture, at the appointed time of eight days after birth, was taken to the Temple to be circumcised, and was greeted by Simeon. A devout servant of God whose life was based on welcoming the Messiah, recognized Jesus would be hat person. He warned Mary her child was chosen by God to do wonderful things, but he would be opposed by many and a sword would break her heart.

A prophet named Anna, an elderly lady who spent her life worshipping God in the Temple, was present, and when Jesus appeared she rejoiced praising God, and spoke to everyone waiting to greet the expected child.

Jesus grew without any education, and eventually worked in Joseph carpenter’s business, in Nazareth, until it was time to start God’s work. At the age of thirteen years, He was taken to have a  Bar Mitzvah (son of the commandment) is a Jewish coming-of-age ceremony for boys at age 13, marking their transition to religious adulthood and responsibility for Jewish law, typically celebrated in synagogue by reading from the Torah and Haftarah, leading prayers, giving a speech, and followed by a festive meal. It signifies becoming a full member of the community, able to participate in services and be counted in a minyan (prayer quorum). 

Jesus met John the Baptist, and was baptized by Him, which John thought unnecessary as he was the Son of God. When the Baptist was complete, a voice was heard from heaven, which said 'this was my beloved Son who brings me great joy.' Jesus chose to be baptized to display the human side of His life, in which He had the same feelings of tiredness, weariness, hunger, that we do. His ministry began after the baptism.

His healing power was given to many people; he enabled the blind to see; the deaf to hear, He raised some dead people back to life. He cured lepers .
He exercised His power to control the weather, to walk on water, to turn water into wine as His first miracle at a wedding between a man and a woman and other miracles were performed.

Jesus described Himself in seven different ways, using the prefix 'I am'. He said He was the way, the truth and the life, and the only way to God.  The Bible states,

There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name that has been given among men by which we can be saved,

He stated he was the vine on which grapes grew. He was teaching that the vine, which produced much fruit if properly cared for, and those who were committed to follow Him would be fruitful, and those who rejected Him were like dead branches which would be destroyed.

He was the door to the sheepfold, and anyone entering would be saved. Anyone entering another way would be an intruder. He was the only way to salvation.

He was the good shepherd who was prepared to give his life to protect the sheep. He was prepared to be the shepherd who would die to save each one of us.

He was the light of the world, and all who followed Him will have the light of life. He offers a choice between the darkness of sin and the light of a life in His presence,

He was the resurrection and the life, and all who believe in Him though they die, shall live and never die as He raised Lazarus.

Jesus told His Apostles He and God the Father were one. He said, he who sees the Son has seen the Father. He also said, the Father and I are one. He was God in the flesh, and can be named as God. They were equal in many ways, and God had given Him authority to rule over both earth, and heaven.

From all these facts, it will be apparent to all people, that no one has existed to equal in the smallest way, the one and uniquely only Jesus Christ. God on earth, about whom books have been written, academics have discussed in the most exclusive Universities, plays and films have been made,.

You may be touched by any of the Lord’s accomplishments, but above all, remember and never forget, this Jesus came to earth, knowing His task was to die  a horribly cruel death on the Cross, in order that you, whoever you are reading this sermon, are given the chance to earn yourself a place in heaven. You will be able to be accepted into heaven, only by believing and accepting that when Jesus died on that Cross He was dying for your sins, and you accept Him as your Savior.

As men beat Jesus thirty- nine times with a belt studded with pieces if steel to cut His back before crucifying Him, so God raised Him back to life after three days, a fact you as a Christian should believe. Too many people, clergy and lay, do not accept the resurrection I the same way as they deny the Virgin Mary’s birth of Jesus

Jesus is the Son of the living God, and lives on to touch the hearts of all who believe in God in His free grace, has promised that all who commit themselves to follow Jesus, and live in obedience to His teaching, will be granted salvation through Jesus, and will have eternal life with Him. Those who reject Jesus, will follow a life in darkness, which is hell.

There is no escaping the fact that Jesus still has an enormous influence in the world

Jesus called on people who are heavy laden to turn to Him and he will give rest

 He also stated He would not forsake anyone committed[ER1]  to Him, Jesus is calling for people to take up their  cross and follow Him. He was ready to forgive, those who repented and told His Apostles forgiveness was necessary seven times by seven.

This means having faith, for the righteous shall live by faith. There is however a reluctance tod do so, despite the fact we have faith when we do so many times, such as giving faith to doctors, chemists, pilots. Yet not to God or Christ. People mock Christianity and reject Christ. but one day they will regret doing so when this life is over and they have to face not going to heaven whereas those who turn to

Christ will join Him in heaven. There is often an attitude which is taken to enjoy the

Life now living and when things change make a decision to turn to Christ. The Bible states, ‘behold now is the favorable time, now is the day of salvation;’, tomorrow may be too late.

Praise God for His Holy Gospel.  Praise the Lord Jesus Christ

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